


Kuryakin Words

by pfrye23



Series: Word of the Day [3]
Category: The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-03-11
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:27:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 50
Words: 5,615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22164034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pfrye23/pseuds/pfrye23
Summary: Section 7 MFU has a word of the day challenge. Each day is a word and the challenge is to write a sentence or more using that word. Each chapter starts with Illya Kuryakin
Series: Word of the Day [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1532345
Comments: 3
Kudos: 13





	1. August

Illya Kuryakin seldom missed his homeland, but New York City in August made him yearn for cold Moscow winters


	2. superannuated

Illya Kuryakin didn't like when his co-workers celebrated his birthday. He preferred to think of the day as any other day. It wasn't that he disliked the attention, he really secretly enjoyed it. It wasn't that he was another year older, there was nothing you could do about that. What he didn't like was the thought that he'd eventually be superannuated and of no use. The thought that he could no longer contribute was a fear he never voiced, but it haunted him.


	3. verisimilitude

Illya Kuryakin's nickname was "The Ice Prince". It was a believed truth at headquarters that the Russian was cold, unemotional and heartless. He was rumored to be bloodthirsty, lacking in compassion and unfriendly. He was the image of the evil Soviet ready to crush the goodness of the West. These beliefs were only verisimilitude. Illya was actually a sensitive, passionate man with a compassionate nature and a wicked sense of humor.


	4. uxorious

Illya Kuryakin lost his parents when he was a young child due to the horrors of war. He had memories of course, but he was never sure if they were accurate or just wistful creations. Memories of his father's uxorious behavior towards his mother. He remembered him bringing his mother wild flowers, singing to her, playing the balalaika. He also remembered crying, yelling and hushed arguments. He was unsure which memories were true, which were fantasy created by a child's need and loneliness. His childhood memories were all shades of grey with brief moments of color. He seldom spent time thinking of his past.


	5. malapropisms

Illya Kuryakin could speak English as well as anyone at the New York headquarters of UNCLE. His teachers had been the GRU, Soviet Military Intelligence, who were known to treat anything but perfection as a failure. Knowing this Napoleon had to smile as Illya deliberately used malapropisms in his conversation to appear helpless and uneducated. The THRUSH agent was less than diligent thinking Illya was no threat, just an uneducated immigrant. His mistake proved fatal.


	6. absquatulate

Illya Kuryakin glared at Napoleon Solo. "That is NOT a word, Waverly will assume I didn't read out report and blame me for letting this mistake remain."

Napoleon laughed as he read outloud from their mission report, "Upon rescuing his Russian partner, Solo managed to absquatulate to safety."

"Not a word Napoleon. I've studied English, I know."

"True my friend, but American isn't exactly English."


	7. circumlocution

Illya Kuryakin was frustrated. He had spend the good part of a day interrogating a captured THRUSH minion. Each question he asked prompted the man to launch into an answer that was pure circumlocution. Illya finally had enough and left the interrogation room. He nodded to Napoleon who had been monitoring his progress. "I have a headache, it's your turn! I'm going to the commissary."

Napoleon smiled. "I'm sure a good meal will cheer you up."

"It always does."


	8. funambulist

Illya Kuryakin was like a funambulist to anyone who interrogated him, be it THRUSH or the ladies of UNCLE. He would weave a story, hide facts in fiction, misdirect, change course. No one could follow his thoughts or answers. Illya preferred keeping his past and his present to himself. Napoleon thought his partner was a mystery wrapped in an enigma.


	9. apothegm

Illya Kuryakin was known for being harsh and direct. This trait tended to irritate or confuse new Section Two agents who were not use to Illya's mannerisms.

Napoleon explained to the new agents that Illya wasn't mad at them, it was his nature to give instructions as an apothegm....brusque and to the point.


	10. corsair

Illya Kuryakin glanced up from his position at the side of Napoleon's sailboat the Pursang. His seasickness had not been bad at first but acted up as soon as Napoleon had turned into the wind to increase speed. Napoleon stood at the wheel, the wind whipping his hair, an ecstatic gleam in his eyes. Illya loved seeing his partner like this, carefree and in his element.

"You wouldn't make a good corsair partner!" Napoleon laughed as Illya moaned and hung his head over the side once again.


	11. Sabot

Illya Kuryakin smiled as he listened to the clacking sound the old women made as they walked down the street. He was in Holland with Napoleon. The old women in their sabots reminded him of his babushka trudging through the countryside wearing her lapti (a Russian peasant shoe woven from bark). He smiled as he remembered her telling him to hang his worn out lapti on the fence in front of their dacha to ward off evil.

Illya sighed, it wasn't often that something brought back his childhood so strongly.


	12. ablution

Illya Kuryakin was looking forward to his post mission ablution. A glass or two of good vodka, a soak in a hot bath and then call out for Chinese food, lots of it. It was how Illya unwound from the stress. Once his stomach was satisfied he could relax and get some much needed sleep.

Napoleon had a different way to unwind.


	13. MacGuffin

Illya Kuryakin slapped the mission report down on his desk and glared at his partner. "Napoleon you have reduced my involvement in this mission to nothing more than a MacGuffin!"

He recited from the report, "Agent Kuryakin startled the THRUSH by suddenly allowing himself to be seen, his blond hair bright in the moonlight. Agent Solo continued with his stealthy infiltration of the satrap leading to the eventual destruction of the site."

Napoleon raised his eyebrows, "That's what happened."

"No mention of my laying of explosives, silencing guards or covering your get away? I just stood in the moonlight? Perhaps we need to compare notes?"

Napoleon nodded, "Perhaps you have a point IK."


	14. parasynonym

Illya Kuryakin snorted in exasperation at his new partner Napoleon Solo. They were seated in the UNCLE commissary eating lunch. Illya just couldn't believe what Napoleon had just said. "Surely you are pulling my limb?"

Napoleon chuckled, "That's leg Illya, leg...pulling my leg."

"I have trouble with idioms and parasynonyms. Leg, limb, arm, finger. They are all the same."

Mark and April, sat down at their table in time to hear Illya's response.

"I agree, Illya" Mark added.

Both Napoleon and April chuckled. Napoleon laughed, "Just don't say pull my finger. Believe me that's not the same."

Mark and Illya looked at each other in confusion. April leaned forward and whispered into Marks ear. Blushing he looked at her, "Really?" She nodded. "Bloody hell!" Looking at Illya he commented, "It's true what they say, America and England two countries separated by a common language."

Illya looked confused. Mark grinned at him. "I'll explain later, Mate."


	15. nirvana

Illya Kuryakin grunted as the THRUSH interrogator slid the needle into his arm and stood back, a smile on his face. "You'll be talking soon enough Mr. Kuryakin, this drug is my own invention and hasn't failed me yet."

Illya sighed and remained silent. He knew that his distress beacon in his communicator had been activated long enough for Napoleon to triangulate his location. All he had to do was hold out until his partner arrived. He could feel the burn of the drug as it flowed through his veins. He felt hot, sweat breaking out on his face as he fought the urge to moan. He wasn't about to give the THRUSH any satisfaction.

He heard the muffled sound of gunfire and knew his partner was nearby.

The THRUSH interrogator smiled as he watched the tension on Illya's face suddenly relax. Illya smiled and started to hum to himself. Illya was enjoying a vision of a lush garden, he could feel a cool breeze on his overheated face. A beautiful woman was offering to feed him an assortment of delicacies. No THRUSH, no responsibility, no pain, nothing but a blissful nirvana of peace, quiet, comfort and food. All that he could want or need.

His vision was rudely interrupted when Napoleon slapped his face trying to bring him around. "Come on partner we have to get out of here."

"Nyet"

"Come on Illya, give me a little help here."

"I want to stay, not finished eating..."


	16. effigy

Illya Kuryakin had thought that the New York headquarters under Alexander Waverly might be different than London. In London his Soviet nationality had brought quiet, overly polite disdain. He was ostracized but it was subtle. Here in New York it was open and vicious. He stared at the effigy hanging by a hangman's noose from the shower head in the gymnasium. It was a dummy, yellow yarn for hair, splashed with red paint, a knife in the area where a heart would be. Illya sighed and wondered which of his Section Two co-workers were responsible.

Napoleon Solo entered the shower room and suddenly became livid as he saw what the new Russian agent was looking at. "Damn it, that's enough. I'm going to put an end to this right now!" He opened his communicator and put a call through to communications. "Have all, and I mean ALL Section Two and Three agents report to conference room four, now!"

Illya looked at the CEA surprise on his face. "It doesn't matter Mr. Solo, I'm use to this sort of thing."

"Not here you aren't. This isn't how we act in UNCLE."

Illya didn't want to be the cause of any incident, but Napoleon Solo was determine to find out who had done such a thing.


	17. juggernaut

Illya Kuryakin never let his size determine what he could accomplish. He turned his small, slight stature into a benefit. When he was forced to fight against more than one or larger foes he was able to go through them like a juggernaut. THRUSH never knew what hit them.


	18. adjudicate

Illya Kuryakin had been asked by his partner Napoleon Solo to sit in on a disciplinary hearing for a fellow Section Two agent. Ryan Jeffreys had been accused of leaking information not to THRUSH but to a newspaper. The story that had been published was not complimentary to UNCLE or it's practices. Mr. Waverly had left it up to Napoleon to adjudicate the incident. Napoleon was leaning toward a more mild punishment, perhaps a demotion, or transfer to a remote location. Illya felt the actions of Agent Jeffreys had been a betrayal of UNCLE and the punishment should be severe.


	19. talisman

Illya Kuryakin alway wore a gold chain with a small medallion around his neck. No one knew for sure what it was, a gift from an old love, something religious, a gypsy talisman, or a memento from some past event. It's source was a topic of conversation amongst the women of UNCLE, an object of curiosity for his partner and other Section Two agents.


	20. fracas

Illya Kuryakin was in the commissary eating his lunch of meatloaf and mashed potatoes when the fracas started. He didn't know what started it, only that his peace and quiet was suddenly shattered by the sound of chairs being knocked over and two women screaming at each other. He looked up from his meal as Sally from communications and Julie from translations screamed at each other and grappled, scratching and pulling hair.

Jumping up Illya and a couple of Section Three agents tried to pull the women off of each other. It was like trying to separate two fighting cats. All three men bore marks from their attempts at peacekeeping.

Illya finally had enough and gave up on being gentle. He grabbed Sally and threw her against the wall, Brad Johnson a Section Three agent followed Illya's lead and did the same with Julie. Wiping blood from a split lip Illya bellowed "Enough!" The two women shocked into silence by the yell and rough treatment looked at Illya with frightened expressions on their faces.

"Take these two down to interrogation. Let them cool off, I'll be down later to question them."

As the Section Three agents took the two women out, Illya wondered what could have caused this disturbance.


	21. milieu

Illya Kuryakin first became enamored of jazz clubs while attending university in Paris. It was one of the few places he had been able to escape and visit without his GRU handlers. A few hours on his own that fed his soul, enabling him to feel a tantalizing brief sensation of freedom. His first ever as a Soviet citizen.

The jazz clubs in New York didn't have the same milieu as they did in Paris, but Illya still found the dark, smoky, crowded establishments soul satisfying and enjoyable.


	22. hermitage

Illya Kuryakin had never had a place of his own. He was raised in a crowded home with brothers and sisters, then the orphanages and state schools after the war, the military and then crowded school dormitories. His small apartment in the Village was often ridiculed by Napoleon.

"You can afford better partner!" Napoleon couldn't understand that even though it was small, cramped, of dubious quality, furnished with second hand items It was his hermitage. Here Illya could relax, read, hide away from everyone and indulge himself in ways that would have been unthinkable prior to coming to New York.


	23. cabal

Illya Kuryakin felt frustrated. Once again he and Napoleon had become aware of a cabal of UNCLE employees who felt that only employees from western countries were appropriate.

'I'm so angry that this keeps becoming an issue" Napoleon looked at his partner.

Illya raised his eyebrow, "Napoleon, as long as there are politics we will have this problem. I'm use to it."

"I don't like it partner."

"Neither do I, but it is what it is."


	24. amalgam

Illya Kuryakin and Napoleon Solo were the best enforcement team that UNCLE had. What made them so good was the amalgam of their strengths and weaknesses. Napoleon was charming, witty, a master tactician. He understood people and could manipulate with a smile or conversation. He had empathy and was understanding. He was however lacking in technical and scientific ability, and to be honest would rather use conversation than force unless pressured to do so. Illya was more understanding of the dark side of human nature. He was pragmatic, calculating, and knew that sometimes ruthlessness was needed. He had the scientific and technical knowledge that Napoleon lacked. He however didn't have the charm or empathy that Napoleon did. Between them they were unbeatable.


	25. wunderkind

Illya Kuryakin had been described as a wunderkind by many people throughout his life. He had always excelled at whatever task had been put before him, be it basic education, languages, spy craft, or advanced physics. He had always worked and studied hard and with the benefit of a prodigious memory he had succeeded. He didn't like the term wunderkind, he didn't like that he was singled out because of his innate talent. One term that he did take a private bit of pleasure out of was when Napoleon called him a "smart Russian".


	26. slipshod

Illya Kuryakin was angry. He glared at Napoleon as they were both working on their after mission written report. Illya had spent several hours trapped in a slowly filling well, freezing cold, treading water, and trying to keep his grip on the rough rock wall. Napoleon and a strike team of other agents and been delayed. Illya had not been notified of their delay so he had started his portion of the mission on time, had been discovered and spent hours in the well.

"it's a wonder I survived" he growled.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry! Your portion of the plan was handled in a slipshod manner. All you had to do was inform me of your delay."

"I thought we had." Napoleon had told one of the other agents to call Illya and inform him of the delay. The man had gotten distracted by other tasks and had forgotten. Napoleon was working with Mr. Waverly to decide on an appropriate disciplinary action. Illya was unaware of this and had blamed Napoleon for the mistake. Napoleon knowing that ultimately it had been his responsibility kept this fact from his partner.

It would be a long time for this incident to be forgiven.


	27. supine

Illya Kuryakin was dieing. He had followed a THRUSH agent though the streets of a small midwestern town where he and Napoleon had been investigating THRUSH activity. Ducking into the local cemetery he momentarily lost sight of his quarry and then felt himself smash into a headstone as bullets from the THRUSH agents gun tore into his chest and side. He had lost consciousness and when he finally woke it was dark.

He lay supine in the grass, gasping in pain. He could feel his blood seeping out onto his arm, and chest. He was cold and knew he was going to black out once again. He stared up at the stars and wondered if this was going to be his last night. He didn't pray having long ago given up on that. He wished he could see Napoleon at least once more to tell him he was sorry. "I don't want to leave you my friend, who will watch your back" he whispered. He could no longer feel his feet or arms. He could hear footsteps approaching and tried to muster enough energy to feel alarmed, to feel anything. He couldn't. His view of the sky was blocked by someone bending over him.

"Napoleon?" He gasped, unsure who was there, just a small sliver of hope as his world faded to darkness.


	28. funicular

Illya Kuryakin lay unconscious in UNCLE medical. Napoleon had found his partner near death in a cemetery. He had been shot several times, lost a lot of blood and had stubbornly remained unconscious, even though the UNCLE doctors had indicated there was no reason he should be.

Napoleon had remained by his side as was their custom. He talked to his partner, read to him and tried all he could to get him to wake. "Come on Illya, the doctor said you can wake any time now. I'm getting worried." Napoleon raised the head of the bed thinking that perhaps the movement would help. "Let's sit up for a bit, ok? You are safe, no THRUSH, I've even done all the paperwork..no reason to stay asleep." Napoleon had to admit he was getting worried.

Illya could hear a hushed noise in the darkness. He knew he was dead, the stars he had seen in the cemetery had gone, all was black. He wondered if he was just going to become energy reintegrated into the universe or if his Grandmother was correct about heaven and hell. He felt himself rising and had a momentary image flash through his brain of riding a funicular in France while attending university. He wondered if you rode a funicular up to heaven. He found this thought amusing and chuckled.

Napoleon started as his partner chuckled. "Illya, partner...is something funny? Please wake up and let me know?"

Illya remained in darkness.


	29. cherubic

Illya Kuryakin was causing the medical staff at UNCLE to worry. He had been brought in by his partner near death from several shots. He had lost way too much blood. The doctors felt that he should wake but he remained unconscious. Now the medical staff were wondering if perhaps he'd sustained brain injury due to the blood loss.

Napoleon refused to accept that and insisted his partner was just fine. "Perhaps he's just tired, he did laugh yesterday."

The nurses were on Napoleon's side. They wanted Kuryakin to wake up. Despite his cherubic appearance they sincerely missed his non cooperative, green jello throwing, cranky self.


	30. doughty

Illya Kuryakin had refused to regain consciousness for several days despite no apparent medical reason for his lack of awareness.

Napoleon was beginning to lose hope. He felt that his partner should have been back with them by now. He looked up as Mr. Waverly entered the room. It was heartening to Napoleon that the Old Man would personally check on Illya.

"Any change Mr. Solo?"

"No sir. He laughed two days ago, but that's the only response we've had from him." Napoleon looked down at the peaceful face of his partner. "I hate to admit it but I'm starting to lose hope, Sir."

"I wouldn't Mr. Solo." Waverly held Illya's hand and smiled, "This young man has a doughty spirit. He'll pull through."

Napoleon hoped he was right.


	31. germane

Illya Kuryakin was still in medical. The doctors, nurses, Napoleon and even Alexander Waverly were at their wits end trying to figure why he couldn't or wouldn't wake up. There was no medical reason for him to still be unconscious. The senior UNCLE psychiatrist Dr. Isaac Myer had been called in.

"Mr. Solo, do you know what the emotional state of your partner was the day of the shooting, and even the previous few days."

"Is that important?" Napoleon asked.

"It could be germane. His emotional and mental state could be what is causing his condition."


	32. limpid

Illya Kuryakin was lost in darkness. He could hear voices but he could not understand what they were saying. He knew THRUSH was after him, that he had been shot. His only hope at survival was to remain as still and quiet as possible until Napoleon arrived. His senses seemed to be mixed up, he was sure he could smell antiseptic and the beep of medical equipment but that was obviously a result of blood loss, he was shot, hiding in a cemetery.

Napoleon leaned over Illya's hospital bed. He was frustrated and at his wits end. "Illya, Agent Kuryakin wake the hell up!" he yelled. His yell brought a startled nurse rushing into the room, "Mr. Solo, please!"

Napoleon turned toward her, embarrassed. "I'm sorry dear, I just thought I'd try something a little more forceful."

Napoleon turned back to his partner, and looked into Illya's limpid blue eyes, open and staring. "Illya!" Napoleon almost sobbed out his partners name.

"You don't have to yell....."


	33. effloresce

Illya Kuryakin was intent on his microscope and did not notice his partner enter his lab. "I knew you would either be in the commissary or down here in the Section Eight dungeons" Napoleon cheerfully exclaimed.

"Did you need me for something or are you just here to annoy me?"

"I was just wondering where you were. We have a meeting with the Old Man at one."

Illya returned his attention to his microscope. "I'm aware of that, Napoleon."

Napoleon ignored by his partner began poking around the small lab. Opening drawers, peaking into cupboards and finally opening a few beakers and bottles.

Napoleon opened one particularly intriguing bottle filled with bright blue liquid. As he did the liquid began to bubble and fizz. Napoleon jumped as Illya grabbed the bottle from his hands and recapped it. "Napoleon, do NOT play with things you know nothing about. That liquid would effloresce and become a very unstable explosive. If you are bored, go visit the secretaries."


	34. exigency

Illya Kuryakin was well aware of the exigency of his situation. He knew that he would be unable to return to work unless he solved the crisis in some manner. He knew what the easiest solution would be, but he was unable to bring himself to submit to such a drastic approach. There must be another way to resolve this situation. He could feel a headache coming on, no doubt caused by the stress of the situation.

Napoleon sighed in exasperation as he watched his partner pace back and forth on the sidewalk. "Come on IK, it can't be that bad. Just get on with it and Mr. Waverly will be satisfied."

Illya stared at the door of the barber shop with loathing. "Alright, I'll do it...but just a trim."


	35. euphony

Illya Kuryakin was always amused when coworkers were amazed that he sounded British. He had stopped trying to explain that his English instructor in Moscow had been a Brit and that he'd attended university in England. His first UNCLE posting had been in London as well. He had stopped explaining that it was unhealthy for a Russian spy to sound, well, Russian. It defeated the purpose of being a spy. He remembered the months of study and practice learning English. A very difficult language. The harsh punishments if he dropped an article, mispronounced a "W" as a "V", or engaging in euphony to try and make the lessons easier. In the end he'd passed his course. He wondered however how much of himself, how much of Russia he left behind in learning his lesson.


	36. ductile

Illya Kuryakin woke to find himself in a somewhat familiar situation. He was hanging by his wrists from an overhead beam, his feet unable to reach the floor. THRUSH seemed to have it in for him, where Napoleon always seemed to be thrown in water, Illya seemed to always get strung up by his wrists.

Grasping the handcuffs he was able to use his gymnastic training and lift his legs until he had them wrapped around the beam. He managed to get the wire he had twisted around one of his molars pried off using his tongue. He was able to grasp the thin ductile wire and straighten it out to use as a lock pick and open the cuffs.

Illya dropped to the floor and finished his escape. One more escape adding to his reputation.


	37. fabulist

Illya Kuryakin kept his past and personal life secret and private. He knew that his partner considered him an enigma wrapped in a mystery. When asked a question about his life Illya used his talents as a fabulist to weave tales and spin lies that seemed real. The person who asked the question would be satisfied, thinking they knew the real Kuryakin. In fact no one knew the Russian, not Napoleon, perhaps not even himself.


	38. bromide

Illya Kuryakin rolled his eyes as he listened to his partner try to calm and sooth the distraught young woman. Finally calm the grateful redhead gave Napoleon a hug and kiss before handing him a note with her phone number on it. After handing her into a taxi Napoleon turned and smiled waving the note like a trophy.

"Ah" Illya dryly commented, "Another happy recipient of Napoleon bromide."

"Very funny IK."


	39. nadir

Illya Kuryakin was proud of the work he did for UNCLE. He knew that the chances of him making it to forty and retiring from field service were slim. He still intended to work toward his goal of seeing the nadir of the organization known as THRUSH.


	40. insouciance

Illya Kuryakin fired a shot at the THRUSH then quickly ducked behind the crate he was using for cover. He and Napoleon had been discovered breaking into a warehouse that had been rumored to house a THRUSH lab.

"We are pinned down, outnumbered and running low on ammunition" he growled. "We need to get out of here Napoleon."

"Don't worry partner" Napoleon seemed relaxed.

"Don't worry?! Do you know something I don't? Did you call for backup? Do you have a plan?"

"No" Napoleon grinned at his flustered partner, "Things will work out, they always do."

"Your insouciance does not give me much hope, nor does it provide more ammo!" He took another shot.

Napoleon looked over the crate and pointed to a crate near the THRUSH henchmen. "And what does that say, printed on the side?"

Illya looked over and then back at his partner grinning. "I stand corrected!"

They both took aim and shot into the crate, the resulting explosion was spectacular.


	41. bissextile

Illya Kuryakin walked into the office he shared with his partner Napoleon Solo. Grinning he tossed a bag to Napoleon. Catching it Napoleon looked inside, "My favorite type of bagel? What brought this on?"

Illya sat at his desk, "I thought you'd like to celebrate it being a bissextile date."

Napoleon looked shocked, "A sex what?"

"Leap year, my friend, February twenty ninth."


	42. glissade

Illya Kuryakin did not realize that his workouts in the UNCLE gym had become a spectator sport for the lovely ladies of the organization. He was usually so intent on his practice that he failed to notice the crowd of ladies that seemed to appear whenever he was sparring.

He didn't notice, but Napoleon did. Originally Solo had thought that the ladies had come to watch him. It only seemed natural. But then he noticed the sighs, oohs and aahs that accompanied his Russian partners movements. How his glissade movements while avoiding Napoleon's strikes seemed to cause some of the ladies to fan themself and blush.

Once Napoleon realized that Illya was the focus of their attention he had to admit that he did have a natural grace and a dancers poise in his movements. Napoleon made it his mission to throw his partner to the mat as often as he could.


	43. inveigle

Illya Kuryakin and Napoleon Solo were masters at getting released from medical early. They both had different methods to inveigle their way out.

Napoleon used his charm and natural talent for persuasion to convince nurse and doctor to let him have his way.

Illya used his apparent bad temper and disagreeable actions such as throwing green jello and food trays. If that didn't work he'd use his lost little Russian, puppy dog eyes and make the nurses feel sorry for him. Either method worked.

Neither Napoleon or Illya felt the least bit of remorse in manipulating the medical staff to get what they wanted.


	44. fusty

Illya Kuryakin was beyond tired. He managed to balance his Chinese takeout in one arm, and get his apartment key with the other hand. Opening his door he turned off his alarm system and stepped into his fusty apartment. He pushed his suitcase in with his foot and reset his alarm.

Toeing off one shoe he hobbled over to his couch, set his dinner on his crowded coffee table, shrugged out of his jacket and wandered into the kitchen to retrieve a bottle of vodka from his freezer. He slipped his shoulder holster off and tossed it next to himself as he plopped down on his couch.

He took a swig of his vodka, straight from the bottle, leaned back and shut his eyes. That is how Napoleon found him later that evening. Asleep, one shoe off, toe poking out of a hole in his sock, cold take out in cartons on the coffee table, a bottle of vodka balanced against his thigh. His head leaned back against the couch, snoring quietly.


	45. frontispiece

Illya Kuryakin glanced at the rare book that Mr. Waverly passed to him.

"Gentlemen, we believe THRUSH is involved in the theft of this book from the Smithsonian museum. Your job is too retrieve the book and so we can return it."

Napoleon looked confused. "Isn't this the book, sir?"

Illya responded. "This is a forgery Napoleon, The book is medieval, yet if your look at the frontispiece you will see a relatively modern building in the illustration."


	46. diphthong

Illya Kuryakin was able to speak many languages and use many different accents when portraying a character undercover. He had to admit that the one accent he just couldn't manage was a New York Bronx accent. He just couldn't manage the diphthongs.


	47. edacious

Illya Kuryakin knew he had a reputation for being edacious. His appetite was an emotional issue from a childhood spent barely surviving starvation and also due to a medical condition. He had a very fast metabolism. If he didn't eat on a regular schedule he would become light headed and on occasion even pass out. He would lose weight and drop below the minimum standard required by Section Two for his height.


	48. précis

Illya Kuryakin was livid. Napoleon had caused their assignment to fail. It wasn't the first time this had happened and it probably wouldn't be the last. They both had their failures. It wasn't so much that they had failed, but it was the reason they failed. "Napoleon, things would have been fine if you had read the material Mr. Waverly gave us on this assignment instead of going on your date with the new girl in communications!"

"It had take me a week to get her to go out, and besides you read the material. I always rely on you to give me a précis of the information. It's your fault because you slept on the plane."

"I slept because I had been studying the material the evening before."

"You always brief me partner."

"Well no more...if you can't read the material, and study on your own you won't get it from me."


	49. gambol

Illya Kuryakin and Napoleon Solo were taking their lunch hour in Central Park. They both felt the need to enjoy some sunshine, fresh air and a hot dog or two. As they wandered through the park Illya found himself fighting the urge to take his shoes off, run and gambol through the grass like he did as a child before the war.

Napoleon looked at his partner and noticed the wistful smile on his face, "what are you thinking about tovarich?"

"Nothing really, just some childhood memories of spring days, running barefoot in the grass."

"Let's do it!"

"I think not my friend."

"I will if you will partner." Napoleon laughed.

"I wont."

Napoleon smiled and shrugged as they continued their walk. Illya still had his wistful smile on his face.


	50. frangible

Illya Kuryakin knew that his position with UNCLE was frangible. The trust between UNCLE and the Soviet Union was easily breakable, his actions, the politics of his motherland, the status of the GRU and the KGB, all could change in a blink of an eye. He tried to live his life as if things were stable, but deep down he knew his life, his very existence was balanced on a wire and he could easily fall.


End file.
